MANURE. 189 



On the principles adopted for determining the value of 

 manure, the salts in 100 lbs. of soot are equal to 1 ton of 

 cow-dung. Its nitrogen gives it a value, compared with cow- 

 dung, as 40 to 1. 



226. Soot forms a capital liquid manure for the floricultur- 

 ist. Mixed with water, in the proportion of 6 quarts of soot 

 to 1 hogshead, it has been found to be a most efficacious 

 liquid, with which to water green-house plants; and being 

 not only a come-at-able, but a comely preparation, it may 

 recommend itself to the cultivator of flowers, by these lady- 

 like qualities. 



The most decided good results have been produced in 

 England, on Stinchcombe farm, containing 200 acres of 

 arable land, by soot, barn-yard manure, and sheep-dung. 

 The rotation is turnips, potatoes, wheat. The average pro- 

 duce of the potatoes, 315 bushels ; of the wheat, 28 bushels 

 per acre. The turnips are manured by that produced by 

 12 oxen and 5 horses, 4 of which are employed in carting 

 the crops to market and hauling back soot, often a distance 

 of 25 miles. -The turnips are fed oft' by sheep, and each 

 acre in turnips receives at the rate of the manure of 2000 

 sheep for one day (205). The potatoes and wheat are each 

 manured with soot only, at the rate of between 11 and 12 

 bushels per acre. The annual quantity used being about 

 3000 bushels, at the cost of about a 6d. English, say 12^ cts. 

 per bushel. By this treatment, for 30 years the quantity of 

 crops and the quality of the land have improved year by 

 year. Anthracite coal-soot, as it may be called, contains no 

 geine. It contains abundant salts of ammonia. Mixed with 

 swamp muck and alkali, at the rate of two bushels per cord, 

 there can be no doubt that the good effects of soft coal, or 

 wood soot, would be produced. The fine dust which collects 

 about the flues of boilers, when anthracite is used, thus 



